Metropolitics

Silent Suppression: How Local Politicians Stifle Collective Action in Working-Class Neighborhoods

Julien Talpin & translated by Oliver Waine — 2018-10-19T05:00:00Z

Taking as its starting point a study of a neighborhood roundtable in the northern French city of Roubaix, this article examines the discreet but effective way in which public institutions, and local politicians in particular, have sought to thwart the collective action organized by local residents regarding an urban-renewal project. Working-class neighborhoods are all too often described as political deserts, but this experience shows this couldn't be further from the truth, and that in fact

- Debates / France, participation, housing, democracy, working-class neighborhoods, urban renewal, local councillors, local democracy, urban regeneration, Roubaix, working classes, associations, Lille, mobilization, Hauts-de-France, Northern France, Nord–Pas-de-Calais

In the shadow of the mayor

Michel Koebel & translated by Oliver Waine — 2014-06-25T04:55:00Z

After his investigation into the representativeness of local councillors in France, Michel Koebel has now turned his attention to the selection and sociology of cabinet members in medium-sized municipalities in France. This study highlights the hierarchy and ranking processes at play in local councils and the importance of “social filtering” according to age, gender and profession.
---- Series: Local elections as seen by the social sciences
Multiple factors come into play when French

- From the Field / democracy, local councillors, local democracy, municipal, elections, mayors

Preparing for a protest vote?

Rémi Lefebvre & translated by Oliver Waine — 2014-06-18T04:55:00Z

Between 2008 and 2014, the French Socialist Party was, more than ever before, a party of “local politicians”. Here, Rémi Lefebvre describes how, in the face of a protest vote, the party has sought to reduce the recent municipal elections to their “local” dimension alone, thus contributing to a further depoliticisation of the issues at stake, and indeed of the significance of these elections.
---- Series: Local elections as seen by the social sciences Note: the French version of this text was

- Debates / local democracy, municipal, vote, elections, abstention, Parti socialiste, Socialist Party

Municipal socialism in France from the interwar period to the 1970s

Aude Chamouard & translated by Oliver Waine — 2014-04-30T04:55:00Z

“Municipal socialism” has marked the history of many cities in France (Lille, Toulouse and Bordeaux, to name but three). The period between the two world wars saw the rise of the great figures of the Socialist Party – following in the footsteps of Henri Sellier – on the political landscape of urban France. But how did they differ from other elected representatives? And is it true to say they espoused an innovative form of local government? Following the recent municipal elections in France, we

- From the Field / France, local government, local authorities, local councillors, local democracy, municipal, Parti socialiste, municipal socialism, Socialist Party, patronage

The Localism Act in London: institutionalising urban divisions

Justinien Tribillon — 2014-04-16T05:00:00Z

By decentralising planning powers to local communities, the British Conservative government claims that they are strengthening local democracy and protecting it from the mistakes of big government. In a map-based analysis of the effects of the Localism Act in London, Justinien Tribillon disputes this claim and underlines the reinforcement of urban economic divisions through a new parochialism.
“Good fences make good neighbours,” goes an English proverb.
Introduced by the coalition

- Debates / participation, local government, governance, local authorities, London, United Kingdom, local democracy, neighborhood, localism, England

Will local-government reform in London involve or abandon its citizens?

Martine Drozdz & translated by Oliver Waine — 2013-07-03T12:23:55Z

While the current financial crisis has compromised local authorities' ability to deliver municipal services, the Localism Act adopted in England in 2011 seeks to relieve the problem by encouraging greater involvement from civil society. However, when combined with drastic public spending cuts, this reform above all threatens to sideline citizens in favour of the private sector.
One of the first acts of the Conservative–Lib Dem coalition that came to power in the UK in 2010 was to bring in

- Debates / participation, local government, governance, local authorities, London, United Kingdom, local democracy, urban public service, neighborhood, localism, England, urban services

Intercommunality, or the broken promises of local democracy

Stéphane Cadiou & translated by Oliver Waine — 2013-01-16T12:05:47Z

As a new territorial reform is set to be enacted in France, what lessons can be learned from past reforms? In La Politique confisquée, Fabien Desage and David Guéranger describe a “backdrop of disenchantment” with regard to intermunicipal structures: mayors appear to have monopolised these new “intercommunalities”, with representative democracy seemingly replaced by something more opaque.
In France, intercommunalities – intermunicipal structures covering several communes (municipalities) that

- Reviews / governance, local councillors, intercommunality, local democracy, territorial reform

Participatory democracy in France: subsumed by local politics

Rémi Lefebvre & translated by Oliver Waine — 2013-01-09T15:06:59Z

In spite of the development of new forms of participatory democracy, turnout at local elections in France has never been lower. Far from rejuvenating “local democracy”, the experiences of participation tend instead to reinforce local powers that are increasingly distanced from electors.
Participatory democracy has in recent years become a standard part of local public action. Local councillors consider it is essential to involve citizens in decisions regularly – and not just at election time

- Essays / participation, local councillors, local democracy, abstention, participatory democracy

Do local politicians represent the people? A sociological portrait

Michel Koebel & translated by Oliver Waine — 2012-11-28T05:55:00Z

France's 500,000 local councillors are regularly presented as the most popular elected officials and those closest to the French public. However, access to the positions of municipal councillor and mayor are increasingly subject to sexual, generational, residential and, above all, social selectivity: more retirees, civil servants and executives, and fewer manual workers and self-employed people.
Municipal councillors are regularly presented as the most popular elected officials with the

- Debates / inequalities, local authorities, local councillors, local democracy, municipal, elections, discrimination, mayors

Shale Gas: Local Democracy vs Central Government

Pascal Terrasse & translated by Oliver Waine — 2012-01-18T06:00:00Z

Without local consultation, the French government has granted permission for the exploration of shale gas plays across the whole of France – despite the fact that the debate on the environmental consequences of shale gas production, due to the hydraulic fracturing procedure, has highlighted the risk of a catastrophe in ecological and health-related terms in the areas concerned. Pascal Terrasse, leader of Ardèche departmental council, proposes ways to ensure the voices of areas affected are

- Debates / risk, local democracy, territory, energy